Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Traveling with Parrots

Twenty hours in a car. That is how long it took to get the baby parrots to their new home. And I am happy to report the journey proceeded without incident. This is in part because of some advance training. Both Beni and Wrigley had already learned to enter crates. I had practiced moving them in the crates and eventually going for short drives. On the days we did not work on this behavior, the crates were always set up with treats hidden within. This meant if they felt like exploring an open crate on their own when they were out playing they would discover something special inside.

Needless to say, they soon learned to check the crates for goodies first thing. For the long drive I decided I wanted to use something larger than a crate and purchased some collapsible wire cages. I set these up where the crates usually sat. Transitioning to the new travel cages was a breeze. I also loaded them up with tons of toys which were too tempting for the baby parrots to resist.

Beni and Wrigley had also experienced several new environments in their training. This meant the hotel rooms were just another interesting place to explore, instead of a potentially frightening experience. I also brought along some familiar perches to give them a recognizable prop in a new environment. These ended up being their preferred roosting location for their nights in the hotel room.

Even though the drive was tiring and when we arrived it was snowing, there was still time for a bit of playing on the hotel beds as the video clip shows.

Their transition to their new home at the Kaytee Learning Center went really well too. But I will save that for the next blog!

4 comments:

Traveling with parrots is a fun experience for all of us. Our newest addition will be in the mix as time goes on. Granted, there are a few times when going into the carrier means going to the vet or to be clipped, but 95% of the time, it's for going to work, camping, festivals, etc. to just have fun. We've transformed top- loading carriers with perches and cups, so it's easier for them and cleaner. Our Boo Bird always gets excited when we come up to his cage and ask him, "Wanna go outside?!" He loves to be outside to get his sunshine vitamins!

I recently traveled across country (USA) 2300 miles, with my 4 birds and 4 dogs. I was amazed at how well behaved the parrots were, so much more than the dogs! It was 4 days, 10 hours a day driving. At night just about an hour for feeding, cleaning cages and cuddling. Not a lot for 8 animals. Each and every one of them seemed to understand what was going on and patiently waited their turn. Each night when I took them out of the cages I could see and feel a special feeling on their side. They seemed to be comforting me and letting me know it was OK. After we arrived in our new home, and as the days have gone by, I know there is a special bond that grew between us. All of them are more affectionate and loving than ever. Its like they are thankful for not having been left behind. For all of them, I am their second (maybe even third caregiver) I think they know I have made a great effort to keep our little family together. I love my pets.....or maybe not mine....the ones that God put in my way to care for. I read your blog with interest.This post on traveling helped a lot for planning and preparation. Thank you!

I have driven from Florida to Kansas and from Florida to Oklahoma with a backseat full of budgies. It was very fun for them. I sounded like a mother to a bunch of toddlers though. "nunu share the toy or no one is going to get it" "I will pull this car over if you do not stop fighting over the seeds" but over all they loved it, Jazzie, one of the budgies loves her rope swing and I hung it from the rear view mirror and she sat up there for several hours, chewing and watching the world go buy. The big semi trucks scare her though so I would put my finger up and she would run down my arm and hide until we passed them. She was the only one I let out of the cage, since she is fully trained and know if my finger goes up she needs to get on and come up to my shoulder. The others, if I had let them out, I would never get them back in. They have since been trained.

Those trips were so fun. I have traveled around Florida with my Quacker, Cosmo. She absolutely LOVES riding in the car. She yells in true quacker fashion at any people or cars she sees haha

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About Me

Barbara Heidenreich has been a professional in the field of animal training and behavior since 1990. She travels the world training the earth’s most unusual creatures using science based training technology. Her company Barbara's Force Free Animal Training (www.BarbarasFFAT.com) provides animal training products and services to the companion parrot, rabbit and guinea pig communities. Her products include books, videos, webinars and animal training workshops. She also provides consulting services to zoos, nature centers and other animal facilities. She is a clinical adjunct instructor at Texas A & M University. Barbara is a former president of the International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators and served on the Board of Directors from 1997-2009. In her career she has trained animals, trained staff, lectured and/or presented shows at over 40 facilities around the world. Barbara has made over 200 presentations on animal training in 20 countries. She is famous for her enthusiastic and entertaining presentations, but her true gift is her kind and gentle approach to animal training. Her goal is to leave a legacy of kindness to animals and others by sharing her expertise.